While the Cat's Away
by J.Alberghini
Summary: Chapter Four: Merle and Folken sort out their differences, only to find themselves in worse trouble than before.
1. Chapter One

Disclaimer: Escaflowne does not belong to me

Disclaimer: Escaflowne does not belong to me. 

While the Cat's Away

Chapter One

Van slowly swung Escaflowne's sword in a half-circle. He charged at the other guymelef, attempting to destroy its energist. He wanted this battle to be over as fast as possible. But his opponent blocked him easily. 

"Not too swift, are you Dragon?" the pilot taunted. 

Van frowned. Though he hadn't been fighting her long, he knew her voice and loathed it. For, not only was this cat-woman trying to capture him, maybe even kill him, but also she worked for him. His brother, no, Van would no longer call him that. He'd betrayed him, in more ways then he would let anyone know. It wasn't just about what he did to Fanelia. It was how he hurt him. For most of his life, he'd done everything he could to get others to believe that Folken did not indeed betray his country. But they were right all along. Van felt foolish for believing in him. Folken abandoned him. He left his five-year old brother to rule a country all by himself, because he was a coward. He only cared about himself, not Van. Van didn't know why he never could see the truth.

But this was not a good time for him to be dwelling on past mistakes, for they were causing present ones. On top of that, he was exhausted. All day long, he had fought battle after battle, with only brief intervals between. He could see the sun set, red and huge on the horizon. He charged again, it was all he could do to keep his eyes open. This time, he managed to cause minimal damage on the guymelef's lower arm. The cat-woman, Eriya, made an effort to strike back; but unfortunately for her, he'd damaged her sword arm. Van attacked again, bring it to its knees. He raised his sword triumphantly; mercilessly about to finish her off, when he heard a thud on Escaflowne's back and fell slightly off balance. Van attempted to recover, but he wasn't quick enough. The guymelef behind struck him down. 

"Are you all right, sister?" came a voice from the guymelef. It was Naria, the other of Folken's cat-girl friends. 

"I'm all right," Eriya replied. "Finish him off."   
Van grimaced. He braced himself for what he knew was coming.

* * * * * *

Merle watched, feeling helpless, through one of the windows of the Crusade. Hitomi was behind her, clutching her pendant in one hand and Merle's shoulder with the other. 

Merle screamed when she saw what the guymelef had down to Escaflowne. Instinctively, she broke free of Hitomi's grip and ran out of the Crusade. She jumped farther than Hitomi ever could, slid down the tree she landed in and ran right onto the battlefield. Then she climbed up on Escaflowne and spread her arms out, trying to protect it from the attackers.

"Merle, what are you doing?" Van shouted at her. 

"Get down from there!" She heard Hitomi cry from the ground. 

Merle ignored them both and remained in place, not giving the slightest thought to what might happen to her. 

* * * * * *

Eriya looked at the young cat-girl admiringly. She reminded her of them when they were young, risking herself for someone she loved. Naria also felt warmth towards the girl. She raised her sword, prepared to attack, but she couldn't do it, couldn't kill her. Instead, she extended her guymelef's hand and picked up the girl, who fought her. 

"Let's bring back this one," she called to her sister. "I'm sure Lord Folken will have use for her. We can take care of the Dragon later."  
"Agreed." Eriya raised her guymelef and they turned away. 

"No, wait!" Van called out. "Come back here!" 

"Lord Van, help!" Merle whimpered. But the hand was squeezing her tightly and she could barely breathed. Everything went black and she could barely hear the screams as they carried her away. 


	2. Chapter Two

Disclaimer: Escaflowne does not belong to me

Disclaimer: Escaflowne does not belong to me. 

While the Cat's Away

Chapter Two

Folken paced around his lab anxiously. He paid no attention to the bubbling potions and elixirs meant to increase his luck. It was not the time for science or magic. Now, all he could do was wait. Usually Folken was a patient person. Today he was anything but. All this waiting was nerve-racking. Everyday, it seemed he was waiting for something, many things actually. It'd been that way for the last ten years. This war had gotten the better of him. He hated it, no matter what they were fighting for. He just wanted it to end. But that didn't seem likely. Folken had hoped that once they had found the power spot, they wouldn't fight anymore. But they did, and still they fought. He knew the reason why, Dornkirk had stressed it over and over again: to capture the Dragon who was interfering with their plans. Folken wanted that almost as badly as Dornkirk or Dilandau, for his own reason. That's why he was in this right now, to get his remaining family back. Once that happened, once his brother was safe, it wouldn't matter any more. His battle would be over. Today very well could be that day. He hoped so. He wasn't sure if he could picture peace; they'd been fighting for so long. But it had to be better than this.

"Lord Folken," Folken stopped his pacing and looked up. Naria and Eriya entered the room. Eriya had a young red-haired girl slung over her shoulder. Naria bowed to him. "I'm sorry, my lord. We failed to capture the Dragon. But we brought another prisoner." She indicated the girl. 

"Who is she?" Folken asked. 

"One of the Dragon's companions," Eriya replied. "We figured you'd know what to do with her."  
He nodded slightly, thinking to himself that he really didn't. "Set her down over there." Eriya placed her on an empty table in the center of the room. 

"But didn't Emperor Dornkirk say," Naria began. 

"No!" Folken said sharply, startling the sisters. "I will not allow another innocent child to be in the hands of those sorcerers, no matter what Dornkirk's orders." If there was one group he hated, it was the sorcerers, even though he was one once. He had heard stories about the things that they did to the children they captured, although he never saw it first hand. He swore he wouldn't let it happen again. "Naria, Eriya. Tell no one of this." They nodded. He walked over to the girl and rolled her onto her back. He gasped when he saw her face. Never in a million years did he think he would see it again. Not this close.

* * * Flashback * * *

"Folken, do you really have to?" Van whined. 

Folken smiled at his little brother. "Don't worry, Van. I'll be all right. Right Merle?"

The little girl nodded. "Don't worry," she echoed. "He'll be fine. And as soon as he comes home, we'll have a party for his, um, corny nation?"

"Coronation," Folken corrected her. 

"Right, coronation." She grinned at him. 

"I still don't see why you have to kill a dragon," Van pouted. "It's mean."  
Folken tousled his hair. "I know, but a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do."  
Merle made a disgusted face. "Why do you boys have to act so macho? That's all you are, a boy."

Folken shrugged. "I guess it's sort of a "coming of age" thing. Meaning, when I kill the dragon, I'll become a man. One who rules an entire country, mind you, but a man nevertheless. It's tradition. I'd change it if I could."

"Not as long as I'm alive," they heard someone say. Balgus entered the room, followed by a very pale and nervous Queen Varie. He bowed to the two young princes. 

"It's time for bed," Varie said to her sons. "You have a big day tomorrow."  
He shrugged. "I know." 

Balgus frowned at him. "You should be taking this more seriously, Prince Folken. You're taking a great responsibility. The whole future…"  
"I know, the whole future of this country rests in my hands." He rolled his eyes. 

"Folken," his mother scolded in the harshest voice she could manage, which really wasn't very harsh at all. 

"Dragon slaying is a very dangerous task. You must uphold your family honor and become a proud warrior like your father."

"But I don't want to be a warrior," Folken blurted out. Although he had a great respect for him, more as his father's best friend than anything else, Folken and Balgus had very different views on war. Folken thought it was wrong. He hated his lessons in the art of sword fighting and other manly subjects that he had to learn. He would rather spend his time learning tricks with the court magician, or treating plague victims and finding a cure. Those were things he felt were interesting, or important. Balgus was appalled at his pacifist beliefs. He was an old warrior, set in his ways. He could never imagine a king that didn't fight.

"Stop, Lord Folken. It is a poor thing for a man who is about to become king of all Fanelia to hold such weak sentiments."

"Folken's not weak!" Van exclaimed. He certainly had no idea that the exact same thing would be said to him ten years later. 

"Yeah, he's not weak," Merle echoed.   
Balgus looked at her sharply. She bit her lip to prevent herself from saying anymore. "That's enough talk. Time to go to bed." He stomped out of the room. 

"Balgus is right, darlings," the queen said wearily. She left for her own quarters.  
"Come on you two, you heard the man. Bed time."

"Aw, do we have to?" the children whined in unison. 

Folken laughed at them. "Yeah, you do. So do I. I'll read you a bed time story, okay?"

"Yeah!" They cheered. They took both of his hands and he walked them to Van's room. "Stay here," he instructed his little brother, "while I take Merle to her room. You're getting separate stories tonight." Van looked slightly disappointed at first, but then cheered up at the prospect of having his big brother all to himself. It was that that got him to let go of Folken's hand and climb into bed without protest.

Folken hoisted Merle on to his back and carried her piggyback to her bedroom, somewhere between Van's room and the kitchen. As she wasn't really a member of the royal family, her rooms were slightly smaller than theirs were, but, when one is living in a castle, you can't be too picky about size.

He tucked her in tightly so that only her head and the tip of her tail showed. She sat up almost immediately. "Story, story!" she cried, bouncing up and down on her bed.

"Shh!" he hissed. "Balgus gets very cranky if you disturb his beauty sleep." Merle giggled for a second then went back to chanting for a story.

"Okay, okay. I just want to talk to you for a second. Hold still." He pushed her into her pillow.

She hissed at him, her fur standing on end. "Hey! Why'd you do that?"

"Shh!" he repeated. "Just listen to me, all right?" She frowned at him, then closed her mouth tight and nodded. "I want you to look after Van, okay Merle?"

"Why can't you do it?" She asked, puzzled. Folken frowned, regretting having to do this. It was a bit much to ask of a three-year old and even more to explain. But Merle wasn't completely dense for her age. "Aren't you coming back?"  
Folken nodded, his usually cheerful face was extremely grim. "If I have anything to say about it, I am." He tried to sound confident for her sake. But, truthfully, he was scared out of his wits. Folken had never been much of a swordsmen against a human, let alone a dragon. The chances were good that he might not return. Which wouldn't have been awful, except for what he was leaving behind. Not being king meant nothing; it was just his duty to him. But he couldn't bear being away from his mother and brother. And Merle, too, she was like the little sister he never had. That was the main reason why he didn't want to do this to her, but he had no other choice. If he died, his mother would probably too busy with her own grief to be able to take care of her son fully, at least at first. And Balgus, though trusted, wasn't exactly a warm person. Van would need someone closer to his age to lean on, not to mention a companion and playmate. Someone had to fulfill that roll, and without Folken, Merle was the only candidate. Being king would be full of hardships if it came to that, and he didn't want his brother to lose all of his childhood. 

"Don't worry too much over me, Merle. Just be there for Van. Promise me you'll never leave him, no matter what."

Merle nodded vigorously. "I promise," she whispered. Then she threw her arms around him fiercely, sobbing into his shirt. 

"It'll be okay," he said soothingly. But he knew inside that it was just a false promise. Nothing would be the same again.

* * * End Flashback * * *

Folken reached out to pat her hair. He couldn't believe it, but he was sure it was her. He'd seen her briefly with Van, but not close up. He laughed lightly. She hadn't changed much, as far as he could tell. Still a harmless little kitten. It was the first time since he'd joined Zaibach that he'd done so, really laughed. It wasn't just that wry, sarcastic laugh that he usually used around Dilandau, or the other people in Zaibach. It felt good doing so. The sister exchanged glances, then shrugged. It wasn't like him, but if he was happy, they were happy. They wanted his happiness more than anything, at least it seemed so. 

Merle rolled onto her side. Her eyes blinked, adjusting to the rather dim light coming in through the upper window. She stifled a yawn and then looked up. She saw Folken standing over her and screamed. 


	3. Chapter Three

Disclaimer: Escaflowne does not belong to me.

While the Cat's Away

Chapter Three

Van and Hitomi stood nearby Escaflowne, Hitomi's pendant hanging from their joint hands. There was a large map on the floor underneath them. Both had their eyes closed and appeared to be concentrating very hard.

Allen walked in and looked at them curiously. "What are you doing?" he asked. 

"We're trying to locate Merle," Hitomi replied, not opening her eyes. 

"Oh. Need help?"  
Hitomi shrugged. "It couldn't hurt. We're trying to increase our power. Who knows how far away they've taken her."

Allen nodded slightly. "I'll go get the others." He hurried to fetch them. 

Van opened his eyes. "It's useless," he complained. "No matter how many people we get, we still won't be able to find her." 

Hitomi squeezed his hand reassuringly. She knew how much Merle meant to him. And despite their arguments, Hitomi didn't know what she'd do without her. 'Everyone needs a rival," she thought to herself. "Don't worry, Van, we'll find her."

He managed a small smile and shut his eyes again. Hitomi did the same. She thought her. She could almost see her, as if Merle was really there. But where was she?  
Suddenly, everything went black for a moment She found herself in a dark chamber, with only a small torch hanging on the wall as a light source. She reached out to touch the wall. It was cold stone. Granite, she figured, from what she'd learned in Earth Science. She glanced up and down the wall, searching for something in this place that wasn't stone. The wall seemed to go on forever. She walked down it, making sure her hand was against the wall at all times. It was extremely difficult to see in this place. She took another step and her hand fell in an empty space. She steadied herself on a cold metal bar. Her hand groped the wall and felt hinges. It was a cell door. She looked inside it. Merle was sitting on the hard floor. She appeared unhurt, but very worried. And she wasn't alone. Hitomi gasped at whom she saw.

The room came back into focus. Van was shaking her. "What happened? Did you see her?"

Hitomi nodded numbly. "Yes, but we have to hurry. She's a prisoner. And…" Hitomi's voice trailed off.

"What?" Van urged. "You stepped away, but I saw the pendant stop in the mountains just east of here. Hitomi, what's the matter? What did you see?"

Hitomi took a deep breath. She didn't wish to be the one to tell him this. "Van, do you trust me?"

"Yes, of course I do. What is it?"

"Then, whoever we meet, just don't… leave him…" She said weakly, before fainting. Van caught her just in time. He set her down gently, than ran off to get the others.

* * * * * *

Merle jumped off the table and backed away, not taking her eyes off him. She bumped into Naria, who gripped her shoulders tightly.

"Who are you?" Merle demanded. She trembled slightly, but her voice remained strong. 

"Merle." His cold eyes filled with tears as he stepped towards her. 

Frightened, Merle hissed at him. "How'd you know my name?"

The other cat girls looked at him questioningly. He never mentioned the existence of Merle to them. They only knew that she was related to the Dragon in some way. 

"Naria, Eriya," he croaked. "This is my little sister."  
Merle gasped, looking at him as if he were a ghost. "Folken?" He nodded grimly. "But, but you're dead. I don't believe it, Lord Van's going to be…" Her voice trailed off and her eyes filled with anger. "What are you doing here? Why are you with Zaibach?"

"Merle," he began. He stretched out his metal arm to her. She recoiled, afraid.

"Stay away from me. Why should I trust you? You… You… TRAITOR!" She lashed out at his face, knocking over a glass bottle on the table. It shattered as soon as it hit the floor. Merle jumped back, trying to get away from the flying glass. However, she wasn't fast enough and a tiny piece imbedded itself in her toe. She cried out in pain. Eriya clapped her hand over her mouth, hoping no one would hear her, if they hadn't already. 

"Be quiet!" Naria chided her; acting more like Merle was a little sister, instead of a prisoner. "You'll get us all in trouble." They heard footsteps coming down the hallway.

"Merle, listen to me," Folken said patiently. "You have to hide because if you don't, well, let's just say it won't be a pleasant experience."

"I'm not…" she started to protest.

"I'm not asking you to trust me. You can get hauled off and turned into a two-headed chicken or something, if that's what you desire. It's really your choice."

Merle hesitated for a moment. She was far from wanting to take his advice, but the other option didn't seem very inviting. She sighed and nodded. 

"In here." Eriya shoved her into a closet, worry making her a bit rougher than she would have liked to be, and locked the door.

"What's going on here?" she heard a deep voice ask. Most likely it belonged to a Zaibach soldier. She held her breath; hoping Folken wouldn't betray her too.

"Nothing," Folken said lightly. "The sorcerers are probably doing some experiment down the hall. It must've been their newest lab rat."  
"Hmm." There was a long pause. "Yeah, probably. Well, I don't want to mix with those guys. Sorry to disturb you, Lord Folken." More footsteps followed and than she heard the door slam shut.

Folken and the girls all let out sighs of relief simultaneously. "All clear." Naria opened the door and let her out.

"I suppose it's a good thing that most people here hate the sorcerers so much," Folken remarked. "You okay, Merle?" 

She glared at him. "I don't owe you anything."  
He shrugged coolly, as if he hadn't a care in the world. "Whatever. " He turned to the others. "Could you please give us a moment?"  
"Yes, Lord Folken." They bowed and departed from the room.

Now that they were alone, Merle used the opportunity to study him carefully. She knew he was Folken, she didn't doubt that. But he seemed so different, so serious. So sad. She checked off in her mind the differences in his appearance. His hair wasn't quite as floppy as it used to be; now it was more a pineapple shape. That tattoo was definitely new. Those clothes… he had always disliked black. But the detail that disturbed her most was one she didn't notice right away. The shiny metal claw that took the place of his right hand, no, his whole right arm, mostly covered by his long sorcerer's cape. 

"H-how did you…"

"The dragon tore it off. I thought I was going to die. I accepted that, even though I'd never see you or Van or my mother again. And then it stopped. It didn't kill me, even though it could have. For some reason it didn't kill me." He paused for a moment and than said something she didn't expect. "Maybe it should have. Sometimes I wonder if I don't deserve it."

"Y-you do…" Her whole body quavered, but she continued. "You betrayed us. Abandoned us. You made Lord Van become a king, even though he didn't want to. Your mother died looking for you. You should have been killed. Or at least come back and face your failure like a man. Traitors shouldn't live." He sighed. "Does Lord Van know?"  
Folken nodded. "Yes, Van knows. And he's as furious with me as you are." 

"Well, of course he's furious with you. You…" Merle was about to repeat her speech, but he cut her off.

"I don't blame him for being furious with me. I don't blame you either. There are times when I'm furious with myself. It was never my intention to put him through this. I regret it every day."  
"Then why did you do it?" Merle asked. "You could have come back. The fact that you didn't is cowardly."

He shrugged. "Could I? I guess we'll never know. I'm in way too deep now to just come back. That door was closed the day I got this arm." He clenched his metal claw into a fist and slammed it into the table.

Merle backed away, alarmed at this sudden burst of anger. The Folken she remembered had been so calm, so cool. This Folken had been like that too, until now."

"I'm sorry," he said, relaxing a little. "Now I know what Balgus meant when he said a king must be in control of his feelings. Not that I'm a king." 

"You could have been." Merle reminded him.

"Could I?" He repeated. "Even if I did come back, I didn't earn the right to be. And even if I had slayed the dragon and went through the whole ceremony, would that really make me a king? What do you think, Merle?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. I guess a king has to care a lot about his people, enough to take responsibility for them." 

He sighed again. "Maybe that was my problem. I just didn't care enough."

Merle bit her lip thoughtfully. She almost felt bad for him. He seemed so confused, so lost. For all he had done, he and Van weren't so different after all. But she still couldn't forgive him. Not after what he did.


	4. Chapter Four

Disclaimer: Escaflowne does not belong to me. 

While the Cat's Away

Chapter Four

Hitomi blinked. She reached up and touched her forehead. A wet cloth was lying there. She glanced around the room, her own room in the castle. None of her friends were there, but she could hear their voices outside. 

"What happened?" She mumbled sleepily to herself. She reached for her pendant, which was on the table next to her. But that wasn't what she picked up. It was Merle's nail file. Now she remembered. She sprung out of bed, grabbed her pendant, and headed for the door, bumping right into Millerna. 

"Oh, you're awake. I was just coming to check on you. Feeling better?"

"Where's Van?" Hitomi asked urgently. 

"Down the hall, I think. But…" She pushed past her. "Wait a minute!" Millerna chased after her. "Are you sure you're up to this? You should be taking it easy. You just fainted… Hey, wait for me!"  
"No time to talk Millerna. I have to find Van. We have to hurry." She sprinted down the hall, leaving Millerna in the dust.

The princess sighed. "Lunatic."

* * * * * * 

"Hold still," Folken said. He was holding a large, intimidating pair of tweezers.

Merle squirmed and whimpered in pain. "Leave it alone."

"Relax. It'll only take a second… There, all done." Folken showed her the shard of glass that he'd pulled out of her foot. "See, that wasn't so bad."

Merle rubbed her foot and frowned at him. "Yeah, it was."

He laughed. "Big baby." "Ha, ha, ha." Merle jumped off the table. She winced when she landed on her bad foot, but didn't say anything. "If you're not going to kill me, than send me home."

He looked at her oddly. "Why would I want to kill you?"

She shrugged not really sure of the answer herself. "I don't know. But what was the point of capturing me?"

Now it was he who was without answers. "Well, _I _didn't tell them to. They did it on their own. I'm glad though, even if you're still mad at me." He soaked a strip of cloth. "Give me your foot." He wrapped it around the wound and knotted it at the top to keep it in place. 

"Thank you," she said. She looked surprised at her own gratitude. "I guess I'm not as mad at you as I thought," Merle admitted. "But I still don't understand."

Folken frowned and thought for a moment. "I can give you my reasons for staying here, but that probably won't help any," he said finally. "But I have to say, I never wanted to leave Van alone. That wasn't my intent. I never would have made him become king if I couldn't help it. That's why I offered him a place here, but he refused. It was his decision too, for us to be enemies. I didn't want that to happen. I still don't."

Merle chewed her lip, thinking this over. She knew how Van felt about Zaibach, but passing up the chance to be with his brother again, no matter how angry he was… _No wonder why he's always so cranky lately_, she thought. Then she sighed. "It must have been some choice for both of you."

Folken nodded. "On one hand, being what your whole family wanted you to be and who you were destined to be, but having the weight of a whole kingdom's future on your shoulders, or being free and all alone. Well, that was my decision, I'm not sure if I made the right one, but…"  
"Hmm." She had never thought of it that way. Joining Zaibach did have options Van probably wouldn't have anywhere else. No having to do what's best for your country, doing what he wanted, only him, not being called your majesty or your highness, but just a normal person, surrounded by normal people. One of them might die to become a king, but they were only thinking of the power and glory that came with the position. Merle saw first hand what it really was, even if she hadn't experienced herself. She'd always thought Van would give it up in a heartbeat if he could. Yet he'd been offered the chance and didn't take it. Merle almost wished her had, if it would make him happy. There were so many things he didn't want to do, but did because it was his duty. The things that Folken had escaped.

"Do you miss him?" she blurted out, before she realized it was a stupid question.

But Folken just nodded grimly. "I do. All the time." He paused for a moment, before asking, "Do you think he misses me?"

Merle didn't need to think about the answer for a second. "Yes, he most definitely does." Folken smiled sadly at her. He himself didn't think so. He only wished it were true.

* * * * * *

"Lord Folken!" Naria and Eriya burst into the room, slamming the door shut behind them. 

"What's the matter?" he asked. Both looked extremely panicked and nervous, like a dog had been chasing them. They looked as twitchy as, if you'll pardon the pun, cats.

"Emperor Dornkirk wishes to speak with you," Eriya spoke up, breathlessly. She gulped. "We think he knows."

"Stay here," he said sharply to Merle. "You two, stand guard."

"Yes, sir!" They chorused, eager to do something for their beloved master.

He strode out of the room to the chamber where the communication device was. It had been one of Dornkirk's more brilliant ideas, but both a curse and a blessing: It was good for Dornkirk, because he never had to move when he wanted a word with Folken, or anyone else. But it was bad for Folken, for Dornkirk often used it to keep an eye on him, afraid, perhaps, that he would betray them too, like he did his own country and family.

Folken pushed the door open. Dornkirk stared at him through a big glass bubble. "Ys, your majesty?" he asked casually, to avoid suspicion.

"Where is the girl?" Dornkirk commanded. 

"What girl?" Folken asked, feigning innocence. Inside, he was trembling. 

"The one kidnapped by your soldiers. Why was she not brought to the sorcerers?"

"You are mistaken, my lord. My soldiers brought no one. I have no idea what you are speaking of."

Dornkirk scowled at him. "You dare defy me? See for yourself then." Dornkirk vanished. 

_Oh no!_ Folken thought to himself. In his place was Merle, screaming and wriggling as she was held by two Zaibach soldiers, one of whom was the man Folken spoke to before.

"Let me go!" She yelped. She tried to bite one of them, but he was wearing armor. Folken could see Naria and Eriya lying on the floor, unconscious.

Dornkirk's ugly face reappeared. "I suggest you think about it longer before you try to double-cross me."

"What do you want her for? She doesn't have any part in this." He felt two hands grab him from behind. He struggled to free himself from their grip. "She's just an innocent child!"

"Don't even think about escaping," said a gruff voice behind him. He swung his sword lazily and hit Folken in the head, knocking him out cold. 

* * * * * *

Folken moaned. He felt cold metal on his face. Wondering why he fell asleep on that, he lifted his head slightly and realized it was resting on his arm. He moved it away, only to hit his head on hard stone. The walls looked hazy to him. Feeling dizzy, he closed his eyes to go to sleep again, only to be awakened by sharp nails digging in his back. "Ouch!" he screamed, fully awake now.

"Sorry," Merle said, though not sounding very sorry. She looked as though she'd enjoyed it thoroughly. "I didn't think I should let you sleep like that. You might have a concussion."

"A what?" Folken rubbed his aching head with his real hand. Whatever it was, it hurt. He stood up, and regretted it instantly. "What happened?" he asked, leaning on the wall for balance. This was also made of stone, like everything else around him, except for a heavy steel door, with a small barred window.

"Welcome to the Zaibach prison," Merle said dryly. "I think this is one of those top security cells." She pointed to the four bored-looking guards standing at the door. "Any ideas on how to get us out?"

Folken thought for a moment, glancing around the dark cell, dark except for a steam of light coming in through a window somewhere. He strained his eyes to see it, as it was very high above them, and pointed it out to Merle. There were no bars, though perhaps there was glass. 

"Can you get the glass off so we can get through?" he asked.

Merle flicked her claws, nodding. "It seems wide enough, for one person at a time, anyway. But how do we get up there?"

Folken grinned at her. "You forget who you're with." He pulled off his cloak and revealed a pair of wings, but dark gray ones, not white like Vans. He picked her up at carried her to the window. With a screeching sound, like nails on a chalkboard, Merle scratched out almost all of the glass and pushed it out the window.

"You first," Folken said. He hoisted her out the window. She grabbed the stone ledge. He followed. It was a much tighter squeeze, but without his wings, he was able to do it. They both hung on the ledge, clouds floating under them. 

Merle glanced at him. "Okay now that we're out, how do we get down?" She gulped at how far away the ground was. 

"Like this," he replied. He let go of the ledge. Merle screamed as he fell, then, at what seemed to her like the last second before he hit the ground, he spread his wings and came back up, hovering next to her.

Nervously, she released her grip and jumped into his open arms, this time, truly trusting him with her life. 

* * * * * * 

"There's the fortress," Van said, pointing to it with his right hand. His other hand was gripping the reins of the dragon Escaflowne. 

Hitomi held him tightly around the waist. Any other time, he would've been happy about that, but he was too distracted now. "Hurry, Van," she said. He urged Escaflowne to go faster.

"Hold it right there!" they heard someone cry. Two very familiar (and unwelcome) guymelefs stood below them.

"It's them again," Hitomi mouthed. Van nodded and drew closer to them.

"What do you two want with Merle? Give her back." 

Naria and Eriya jumped out of their guymelefs. "Now isn't the time to be fighting," Naria called to him. "We need your help too. Your friend is in danger."

Van snorted. "Help _you_? No way." He landed Escaflowne.

"Van, we should listen to them." Hitomi reminded him. "Remember what I saw in my vision."

Van ignored her. He converted Escaflowne back into its regular form and set Hitomi on the ground.

"Let Merle go." He took Escaflowne's sword from its back and pointed it at them.

"We don't want to fight with you," Eriya protested.

Naria frowned. "He won't listen to us anyway." They went back inside of their guymelefs and stood ready.

"This is silly," Hitomi complained. "You shouldn't be fighting. Folken and Merle are both in trouble. They need our help. This is meaningless. Van, stop it."

But they all refused to listen. Van's eyes flashed with anger. He was ready to do battle.


End file.
